Ask an Expert: Bleeding during intercourse

Women's Health

Bleeding during intercourse
08/09/2007

Question:

I have never bled during intercourse before, but this past month about 3 days before my period was expected to arrive i began spotting light pink. The weird thing is it would go from light pink to bright red but it was light bleeding. I felt nauseous and i felt like faiting so i figured i was pregnant since the month before i wasn`t using any form of protection. But then i began bleeding like my period so i figured i wasn`t pregnant. The nausea went away as well as the feeling of fainting. Towards the end of my period i began spotting once again a brownish color for about 3 more days. Two days after i was done spotting i had sex with my boyfriend and afterwards there was blood. It wasnt alot of blood and i didn`t experience pain so i dont know whats going on. I know its not birth control cuz i stopped using it for over 7 months now and my last pap smear was normal. So what`s with the bleeding?

Answer:

Bleeding during or following intercourse can be from a number of issues. For example:

a cut or sore in the vaginal area

an infection of the vagina or cervix

or an abnormal growth of vaginal or cervical tissue.

Of course, with the concern about unprotected intercourse, you should check a pregnancy test to be sure a pregnancy is not the cause. But if your bleeding persists beyond your period, you should have a pelvic exam to be sure that one of the above problems is not an issue.

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Response by:

Jonathan A Schaffir, MD
Clnical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University